Immunogenicity study of low-dose administration of hepatitis B virus vaccine in newborn infants: A cost reduction trial

Different doses of hepatitis B virus vaccine—prepared by Korea Green Cross Corporation, were given to healthy infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers at birth, 1 and 6 months of age. A dose of 2 μg was administered intradermally in Group A and, in the three other groups, the vaccine was given intramuscularly (i.m.). An adequate follow-up observation was possible for 9 months after birth in 22, 25, 23 and 21 infants in Groups A, B, C and D, respecvely.
Group C (5 μg, i.m.) produced seroconversion most rapidly, showing the highest rate (96%) at 9 months of age. The lowest seroconversion rate (5%) was found at the age of 1 month in Group A subjects, but the rate increased to 91% after a booster dose was given at 6 months of age.
While it can be concluded that a 5 μg i.m. dose of vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months of age is optimum for the immunization of infants in efficacy and economy, a 2 μg intradermal dose can also be considered as an immunogenic and economical regimen, though the immune response is slower and a special technique is required for immunization.     

44Sacral extracorporeal magnetic stimulation is an effective treatment for pelvic floor dyssynergia; Comparative study with biofeedback therapy

Background: Recent development of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation (ECMS) which uses current‐changing magnetic fields allows the induction of electrical stimulation in the desired deep tissue. Recent study showed the sacral nerve stimulation reduces corticoanal excitability that may play a functional role in anal continence mechanisms. Preliminary study shows that ECMS of sacral nerve can modify pelvic floor function and expel rectal balloon in patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia (PFD). Aims: To evaluate the effect of ECMS compared with biofeedback therapy (BF) in patients with PFD. Methods and Materials: Thirty‐eight patients who fulfilled Rome II criteria for PFD by colon transit time and anorectal function tests, were randomly treated with 8 sessions of ECMS (2/weeks; n = 19) at prone position or BF (2/weeks; n = 19) at sitting position. Stimulation parameters were set at 50–80% of maximum intensity, 10 and 50 Hz frequency, 3 s burst length with 3 and 6 s off using arm‐typed stimulator (BioCom‐1000, Mcube Co., Korea). Symptom scores for constipation with/without anorectal function test were repeatedly measured after each treatment. Response was defined as 50% or more decreased symptom score after treatment (partial response: 30–50%, poor: <30%). Results: Fifteen patients (age 49.1 ± 13.4 years, mean ± SD; 4 men) completed 8 session of BF and 14 patients (54.5 ± 17.6 years, 3 men) completed 8 session of ECMS. Four patients of BF group discontinued treatment due to unsatisfactory therapeutic effect (n = 1) and withdrew consent (n = 3) and 5 patients of ECMS group discontinued treatment because of same reasons (n = 1, 4). Total symptom scores were significantly decreased after treatment of 8 session in both treatment groups (13.4 ± 6.6 vs. 4.3 ± 4.0 for BF, p = 0.009; 14.9 ± 5.6 vs. 3.4 ± 4.0 for ECMS, p < 0.001). Bowel movements per week were also significantly increased after treatment in both groups (median 2 vs. 7 for BF, p = 0.035; median 2 vs. 7 for ECMS, p = 0.008). Thirteen out of 15 patients showed response in BF group and 12 out of 14 showed good response in ECMS group. No adverse effects in both groups. Conclusions: ECMS is as effective as BF for the treatment of PFD. Long‐term effect of ECMS for the patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia need to be evaluated in the near future.     

Changes in serum ammonia concentration in cirrhotic patients with Helicobacter pylori infection

Objective To study whether liver cirrhosis associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection will induce increased serum ammonia and whether the peripher al serum ammonia reflects the level of portal vein serum ammonia. Methods Blood was taken from the portal vein and the cubital vein in cirrhotic patients with and without H. pylori infection and non-cirrhotic patients (splenic rupture) with and without H. pylori infection, and the serum ammonia was measured.Results The mean levels of serum ammonia in the group of cirrhotic patients with H. pylori infection were 167.82±8.97 μmol/L (portal vein) and 142.2±13.35 μmol/L (cubital vein). They were increased significantly as compared with cirrhotic patients without H. pylori infection (47.68±12.03 μmol/L portal vein and 37.23±7.04 μmol/L cubital vein), and also compared with the groups of splenic rupture patients with and without H. pylori infection ( P &lt;0.01). There was no significant difference between the serum ammonia level of the cubital vein and portal vein (P&gt;0.05).Conclusions H. pylori infection can induce an increase in serum ammonia in patients with liver dysfunction, and the peripheral serum ammonia measurement may replace the portal vein serum ammonia as a monitoring method. Eradication of H. pylori in cirrhotic patients may prevent hepatic encephalopathy (HE).     

Multinucleation of koilocytes is actually multilobation

In order to clarify the complete cytomorphology of cytopathic changes as a consequence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, we performed three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction from confocal fluorescent images. After confirming 22 HPV types using a DNA chip, we performed 3D confocal image restoration in human uterine cervical swab samples and corresponding tumor tissues. On restoration of 3D confocal images, the multinucleated feature of koilocytes was revealed to be multilobation of a single nucleus, as opposed to true multinucleation.     

Prognostic significance of tumor necrosis in ovarian cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval surgical debulking

The objective of this study was to study the significance of tumor necrosis documented at the time of interval surgical debulking after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Retrospective chart reviews were carried out from 1997 to 2005 to identify ovarian cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients' demographics together with disease characteristics, treatment-related variables, and outcomes were recorded. Cox proportional hazard models were built to model time to progression using predictor variables such as age, cancer stage, tumor grade, residual disease, percentage change in CA125 level from baseline, and degree of necrosis in resected tumor specimens. One hundred one patients were included in the study. Optimal debulking was achieved in 74% of the patients. Cox regressions revealed three significant predictive variables of time to first progression: younger age (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98, P= 0.004), residual disease (P= 0.048), and the absence/minimal tumor necrosis after three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.01-3.87, P= 0.048). The estimated median survival was 50.66 months (95% CI 46.12-55.20). The lack of or minimal tumor necrosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an independent risk factor for recurrent disease.     

Relationship between p53-associated proteins and estrogen receptor status in ovarian serous neoplasms

We studied the immunoexpression of p14ARF, MDM2, and p53, in addition to relationships between those protein expressions and estrogen receptor (ER)alpha in ovarian serous tumors including benign (n= 23), borderline (n= 41), and malignant (n= 94). The aberrant expressions of p14ARF, MDM2, and p53 were observed in 19.6% (31/158), 47.5% (75/158), and 39.9% (63/158) of cases, respectively. The expression of MDM2 was significantly higher in borderline tumors compared to benign (P= 0.04) and malignant (P < 0.01) tumors. p53 expression in borderline tumors was uncommon, and p14ARF expression loss was mainly observed in carcinomas. Altered expression of p14ARF, MDM2, and p53 shows significant relationship with stage. Overexpression of MDM2 (P= 0.01) and loss of p14ARF expression (P= 0.04) were significantly associated with ER expression. Our results suggest that alteration of p14ARF-MDM2-p53 pathway proteins may contribute significantly to the tumorigenesis of ovarian serous neoplasms, and ER is involved in cellular regulation of p14ARF-MDM2-p53 pathway in ovarian serous neoplasms.     

Role of fibronectin assembly in platelet thrombus formation

Fibronectin is a component of subendothelial matrices and abundant in plasma. A role of fibronectin in thrombogenesis has been suspected for three decades. Soluble fibronectin is assembled by adherent fibroblasts and platelets and thus converted to an insoluble form that mediates cell adhesion. Recently, in vivo studies using intravital videomicroscopy revealed that plasma fibronectin is important for stabilization of platelet aggregates after vascular injury. This review goes over roles of fibronectin in platelet functions with a focus on fibronectin assembly within developing platelet thrombi.